The feeling after a Game 7 defeat was a stark contrast to the dominance displayed by the New York Rangers during the first two games of their series against the New Jersey Devils. A shutout loss in a decisive winner-take-all game against their rivals stung, and that sting has lasted an entire offseason.
Per Mollie Walker of the NY Post, Rangers veteran Chris Kreider had this to say in early August. “I think, like every guy on that team, I’ve got a pit in my stomach. I expect that to turn into a bit of a chip on everyone’s shoulder.” The Rangers hope that the chip on their shoulder remains and that new head coach Peter Laviolette and his staff can assemble a structure and plan that remedies their early exit last postseason.
The Rangers ended the 2022-23 season with 107 points, good enough for a third-place finish in the Metropolitan Division. Despite the solid point total, the Rangers’ season was inconsistent at best, hovering at the .500 mark until a breakthrough roughly a quarter of the way through the season.
A new coach and chip on the shoulder have this group hungry for more success this season. Newly acquired veterans like Blake Wheeler, Nick Bonino, Erik Gustafsson, and Jonathan Quick will all look to critically impact the club in 2023-24. With a deep forward core and a defensive group looking to take another step forward, the Rangers are poised for a solid season.
The coaching staff and players will look to rally around their goaltender, Igor Shesterkin, who was fabulous in the postseason despite the team’s early exit. So, what does the new season have in store? Let’s make some bold predictions.
Rangers Point Total and Metro Ranking
The Carolina Hurricanes won the division last season with 113 points, with the Devils finishing a point behind them with 112. The Rangers were nipping on their heels but fell off in the final two games, ultimately finishing outside the race for the division crown. Yet, despite a very sluggish start for the Blueshirts, they were very much in the thick of things at the very end.
With new coaching and new systems in place, the Rangers hope to avoid that sluggish start to the season. If they can do that, an improvement on a 107-point campaign is in order. Increased depth on the third and fourth lines will benefit the Rangers’ defensive game at five-on-five, while the kids getting consistent top-six minutes should also improve the five-on-five scoring.
The Rangers lost 13 overtime games last season, and odds are they win a few more of those this season. Their special teams groups struggled towards the end of the year with the new additions of Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko. In the upcoming season, we will see a return to the group that has made the Rangers’ power play lethal the past two seasons, with an influx of kids to the mix.
I expect the Rangers to once again be in a race atop the Metro Division standings with the Devils and Hurricanes. The trio of teams look poised to finish in the top three spots yet again.
Prediction: Rangers finish second in the Metro with 111 points.
Artemi Panarin Breaks 100 Points
Artemi Panarin has scored 341 points in 268 games as a Ranger. Since he signed with the Blueshirts prior to the 2019-20 season, he has consistently led the Rangers in scoring. Undoubtedly, he has been worth every penny since he made his debut, but a bad postseason series against the Devils has people forgetting his value.
This offseason, Panarin openly admitted he struggled in the postseason. It may seem like a minuscule thing, but the Russian winger even shaved his head to signify a fresh start. A motivated Panarin is a nightmare for the rest of the league, and his first 100-point season is on the horizon.
Who his linemates will be ultimately plays a huge role in his season outlook, but if Alexis Lafreniere gets the second-line right-wing spot with Filip Chytil or Vincent Trocheck down the middle, Panarin will have talent alongside him. Look for the now 31-year-old to have a monster season.
Prediction: 34 Goals, 68 Assists, 102 Points.
Lafreniere, Kakko & Chytil Each Surpass 50 Points
It’s truly sink-or-swim time for the Rangers’ kids. Lafreniere, Chytil, and Kaapo Kakko need to prove they are the top-six players everyone anticipated they’d become when they were drafted. All three of them should get long looks in the top six this training camp, and I believe they will all start the season on the top two lines.
All three have yet to touch 50 points in a season in their young careers, but that changes in 2023-24. More minutes and more special teams play will be crucial to their success this season. Consistency in their scoring is another unknown, with each going through long lulls of offense in the early stages of their careers.
Related Story: Rangers’ Stanley Cup Hopes Again Rest Primarily on Shesterkin
Playing alongside the elite forwards the Rangers’ possess should allow for more consistent opportunities which they will capitalize on. It’s time the kids grow up; this is the season they do it.
Prediction: Chytil – 61 points, Kakko 58 points, Lafreniere 55 points
Igor Shesterkin Wins His Second Vezina
After an unbelievable 2021-22 season led to a Vezina Trophy for Shesterkin, last season was a little more turbulent. He still was terrific, posting a 2.48 goals-against average (GAA), a .916 save percentage (SV%) and three shutouts, but an inconsistent start did not allow him to retain those Vezina winning numbers.
En route to his Vezina win, Shesterkin posted a 2.07 GAA, an absurd .935 SV%, and six shutouts. He was otherworldly during that run, and I expect that performance again this season. Despite a more ‘human’ 2022-23 season, Shesterkin showed how dominant he could be yet again in the seven-game series against New Jersey.
The Russian goaltender posted a 1.96 GAA and a .931 SV% in that series, seemingly returning to that Vezina form we have come to expect from him. It was those seven games, coupled with what I believe will be a better five-on-five team with Laviolette at the helm, that allows me to predict a second Vezina Trophy will be on Shesterkin’s mantle at the end of the 2023-24 campaign.
Prediction: Shestekin has a 2.10 GAA, .928 SV%, and seven shutouts, wins Vezina.
There is an expectation that the Rangers need to win the Stanley Cup in the coming years. Pressure continues to mount as a new drought has emerged on Broadway, with the Rangers failing to hoist Lord Stanley since they won it in 1994. It’s been almost 30 years since the last parade down the Canyon of Heroes, and New York is itching for a celebration.
For that to happen, the Rangers will need Shesterkin to be brilliant, but they will need the rest of the roster to find a way to not waste that brilliance. Balanced scoring, improved five-on-five play, and better systems will be crucial to their ability to make a long postseason run.
But all of that starts now in training camp, going day by day and working towards that goal from the moment they step out on the ice on Oct. 12 against the Buffalo Sabres. Should my predictions be right, the Rangers will be set up for a chance at winning hockey’s ultimate prize.
